Monday, December 19, 2005

SOURCES WANTED: Commuting to New York? The Morning Call wants to talk to local New York commuters with transit strike looming.Please supply names, cell phone numbers and departure times. Email: news@mcall.com; phone: 610-820-6566. (The Morning Call)

Let The Bums Strike!

New Yorkers are hours away from a transit strike and I have one request for the MTA: Let them strike!

New York needs to update the subways and it is clear that theMTA should do what Paris and Washington DC already know: Computers speed up service, cut costs, and never go on strike.

Final Offer: The MTA has laid out it's "final offer" - 3% over 36 months and retirement to be raised to 62 after 30 years of employment. The TWU wants 8% raises and to lower the retirement age to 50 after 20 years on the job. Currently, they can retire at 55 with 25 years on the job. The MTA also wants new hires to contribute 1% of their salary to health benefits (they would also get a 1% match on their 401k). The TWU wants the MTA to make no changes to benefits.

So I'll wake up tomorrow and hope that I face a couple of miles of walking to get to work. I hope millions of angry New Yorkers and tourists have to walk or pay huge taxi fares tomorrow. I will pray for utter chaos on the streets of The Big Apple in the AM. Maybe one day of striking will put the need for an updated system into focus for the big shots at the MTA.

As for the bus and subway conductors who will walk off the job in a few hours: Enjoy the day off.